John g



(No Model.) 8

Y J. G. HART.

SHOE LAGE FASTENER.

No. 392,333. Patented Nov. 6, 1888.

WITNESSES. INVENTUR. 5 K

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN HART, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SHOE-.L'ACE FASTENER.

$PECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 392,333, dated November 6, 1888.

Application filed June 12, 1888. Serial No. 276,822. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN G. HART, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Shoe-Lace Fastener, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

The object of my invention is to provide a neat, simple, and effective device for fastening an end of a shoelace; and it consists in the parts which will be hereinafter described, and pointed out inthe claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of the upper part of a shoe provided with one of my improved fasteners. Fig. 2 is a top plan view-of one form of the fastener. Fig.3 is a section on the line 90 a; of Fig. 2. Fig. 4 represents a top plan view of a modification. Fig. 5 is a section on the line g y of Fig. 4, and Fig. 6 is a perspective view of a modification. In this view the staple is shown formed of fiat square-cornered material.

The letter A represents a shoe-top; B, hooks on the shoe for engaging the lace O, and D is my improved lace-fastener engaged to the upper part of the shoe, as shown.

E indicates the head of the fastener, which is engaged by a staple. The staple consists of two prongs, H H, shank H, shoulders h, and head-piece H.

In Figs. 1, 2, and 3 the staple is'shown engaged in openings e e in the head E, so as to leave the head movable.

In Figs. 4 and 5 the staple is engaged around the outer side ofthe head E, said head being grooved for the reception of the staple. In said views the head E is flat on top and bottom, the under outer edge, E, being slightly curved, so as to conform to the curvature on the under side of the head E, aforesaid.

Fig. 6 representsa form of fastener which may be employed without the head E.

The under side of the fastener-head E, as shown in Fig. 3, is concaved,and the under side of the head of the staple, as shown in Fig. 6, is also concaved at a a. The shoulders h of each staple, as shown in the drawings,

are given a downward or concaved turn. By means of the concave features of the head E and staple an enlarged inner space, K, is formed, so as to accommodate the lacewhen wrapped upon the shank. A sufficient inner space to accommodate the lace may be formed by concaving the underside of the head E, (or concaving the under side of the head H in Fig. 6,) or this space may be formed by concaving the staple shoulder or base, as shown in Fig. 5.

In the drawings only one fastener is shown engaged to the shoe, and a single lace is engaged to the fastener. It is obvious, however, that either one or more fasteners may he employed on a shoe, as desired.

The operation of the invention is as follows: The staple may be made of flat, round, or other desired form of construction. The prongs H H are passed through the shoe at the desired point, and then folded so as to clinch. The shoe-lace is engaged to the hooks B, (orin eyelets,) and the end ofsaidlace thence passed under the head of the fastener and given one or more wraps on the shank',whereby the lace is firmly secured. By this arrangement the usual knot is dispensed with.

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent 1. The shoe-lace fastener herein described, consisting of a head having a concave under surface and provided with central shank having shoulders h and prongs H, substantially as herein shown and described.

2. The shoe-lace fastener herein described, consisting of the head E, having a concave under face and transverse parallel apertures, and the staple, the legs of which pass through said apertures from the outer face of the head, then extend outwardly in opposite directions to form the shank H, shoulders h h, and the parallel prongs H H, projecting from the ends of said outwardly-bentportions, substantially as set forth.

JOHN G. HART.

\Vitnessesi v KATE W. RIDER, J AOOB L. BAULAND. 

